Here's what we know so far. Citroen's new flagship completely skips the saloon-estate duo and goes for a crossover that looks part saloon, part estate, part coupe and part SUV.
The result is a 4.60-metre-long five-door model with increased ground clearance and a brawny appearance. Behind an angled rear window that slopes into the roof, there appears to be plenty of room for all the family.
With a wheelbase of 2.79 metres, the C5 X promises lots of space, even in the second row of this car, which is technically closely related to the Peugeot 508 and DS9 C3. The boot can hold between 545 and 1,640 litres, if you have the rear seat folded down.
Inside, there are also supposed to be particularly ergonomic seats and a special chassis with hydraulic parts for comfort.
In addition, the maker is expanding the range of assistance systems, installing a head-up display with an extended display range and a large touchscreen.
Petrol engines and plug-in hybrids will also be available, but Citroen has yet to provide details.
But a look at sister models such as the DS9 might be a hint of what's to come: The DS9 is available as a pure 2.0-litre petrol engine or as a plug-in with a two-litre four-cylinder engine, but always with 225hp.
Citroen plans to start making the C5 X in China in a first attempt by its parent Stellantis NV to make inroads into the world’s biggest auto market.
Citroen will produce the flagship crossover at a factory in Chengdu and sell it in Europe and in China starting in the second half. The brand hasn’t taken off in Asia and relies heavily on the European market, where its sales fell 28% last year due to the pandemic.
The carmaker is following a "rational and balanced approach” when deciding where to build its cars, Vincent Cobee, head of Citroen, said in an interview with Bloomberg Television. "Manufacturing quality in China is one of best in world.”
Stellantis chief executive officer Carlos Tavares has vowed to "fix” the automaker’s poor showing in the nation, where none of the company’s 14 brands have a notable foothold.
The plan to build the C5 X in China has already stirred sentiments in France, where Citroen has deep roots. Le Monde newspaper on Monday ran an opinion piece saying the decision sends a "double signal of destruction” by exposing the country’s dwindling role in global trade and its inability to retain production of higher-quality products.
Citroen isn’t alone in going to China. Renault SA came under fire last year for deciding to produce a new electric mini-SUV for Europe in the Asian nation. BMW AG started production of its iX3 in Shenyang and Tesla Inc. is exporting Model 3s built near Shanghai to Europe.
Some producers are even basing the manufacturing of entire lineups in China, for example Daimler AG’s Smart and Volvo Car Group’s Polestar and Lynk & Co, all three of which are jointly owned by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group.
Citroen ranked second by sales among PSA’s stable of brands last year, behind Peugeot and ahead of Opel Vauxhall. The brand generated most of its sales in Europe in 2020 and aims to improve its performance in Asia, Cobee said.
Sales of the C5 X will "probably be reasonably well balanced between China and Western Europe,” he said. — Additional details from Bloomberg
